A long, low concrete and glass building near <a href="http://inhabitat.com/partially-furry-glass-cube-uses-tradition-palapa-as-a-sustainable-facade/">Cuernavaca</a>, Mexico is a study in living amongst your natural surroundings. The owners wanted a constant connection to their external environment, so <a href="http://t3arc.blogspot.com/search/label/a01%20Casa%20La%20Semilla">t3arc</a> designed a simply formed home surrounded by sliding glass walls. Set within a lush, green forest, Casa La Semilla or "The Seed" is a pod filled with life and light, and cooled with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/natural-ventilation">natural ventilation</a>.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

The two bedroom home seems far larger than it really is due to the use of all glass walls and influx of daylighting.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

In the often hot climate of Jiutepec Morelos, Mexico where the home is located, little is ever needed in the way of heating, but cooling is a necessity.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

A large flat concrete roof creates large overhangs with which to shade the interior of the home.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

The sliding <a href="http://inhabitat.com/preserved-cannon-foundry-wrapped-in-a-glass-box-makes-for-a-striking-modern-house/">glass walls</a> open to create cross breezes making it feel more like you are outdoors than indoors.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

At night, interior lighting illuminates the forest.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

The forest also helps shade the home for direct sunlight and overheating.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

One of the two bedrooms.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

The living area looks out into the forest.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

Inside, partitions separate the living and kitchen are from the bedrooms and bathroom rather than traditional walls.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

A large concrete wall in the back creates a protected courtyard.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

And the glass exterior gives the impression that each room extends beyond into the forest.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

A large wooden deck cantilevers over a pond, which stores water for irrigation of the rest of the landscape.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

The simple, open form is more like a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/temporary-pavilion">pavilion</a> than a traditional home and an experiment in living surrounded completely by nature.

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Casa La Semilla-t3arc

A long, low concrete and glass building near Cuernavaca, Mexico is a study in living amongst your natural surroundings. The owners wanted a constant connection to their external environment, so t3arc designed a simply formed home surrounded by sliding glass walls. Set within a lush, green forest, Casa La Semilla or "The Seed" is a pod filled with life and light, and cooled with natural ventilation.